Career Experts on Where Men Should Be at 25, 35, 45, and Beyond

Here’s Where Your Career Should Be at Every Decade

When you were fresh off the boat from college, you likely had grand visions of where your career would take you, with visions of dollar signs and corner offices dancing through your head. While you may have started off working relentlessly to meet your goals and impress your superiors, now that you’ve been in business for awhile, are you still forward thinking?

No matter what juncture you’re at in your professional runway, career expert Elizabeth Whittaker-Walker says milestones are essential, and they’ll help you to track your progress toward goals. She explains: “Milestones help you to remember times you stayed on path, moments you strayed, and the impact of each route. They help you remember the lessons you learned on your career journey and those memories will then inspire you to do the things that work and keep you from repeating mistakes.”

If you’re not sure where to target your efforts, leading career experts have shared their take on the milestones you should be aiming for at every decade. While no two career paths are alike, look at this as a general guideline.

Age 25: You’re Learning and Building

Depending on whether you decided for or against grad school, you’ll either be a few short years out of college or about to tip your cap and sport your gown. Since you’re in the infancy of what will hopefully be a long and meaningful career, Whittaker-Walker encourages professionals to lean into the learning and building process that will ultimately lay the foundation for growth.

“At 25, you should be securing the education, skills, and early training you need to reach your career goals,” she explains. This includes covering your basic expenses and tucking away a bit for the future, but most of all, focusing on building connections and having experiences that will illuminate the many years — and decades — to come.

What about salary? While your entry-level paycheck might be small at this stage, Michael Dermer, founder and CEO of The Lonely Entrepreneur, encourages 25-year-old professionals to focus more on exploration and education than take-home pay.

“Getting too tied to salary or title at this stage would be limiting. What you do need at this time are mentors and a foundation of relationships that will serve you well in the future,” he says. “Identify a few people that will take an interest in your future and understand that the relationships you build now will be incredibly important in the long run.”

Age 35: Improving and Working Double-Time

From the time you blew out those candles on your 25th birthday to ringing in 35, your life has probably changed pretty drastically, both professionally and personally.

At this point, you should aim to speak regularly with the mentors from your early career days and begin to serve as a mentor to others. “Your professional network should span beyond your state and you should aim to be on at least one board,” Whittaker-Walker says. “You should also focus on building new skills and refining the ones you’ve come to be known for. You’ve likely experienced job transitions and promotions, and you should now be positioning yourself for senior leadership,” she adds.

If you need some hard-fast, specific markers for success, Dermer says there are a few to shoot for. One is achieving the salary you’d earn if you were in the top 20 percent of your job function. Or, if you’re an entrepreneur, figuring out what that translates to outside of dollar figures — maybe it’s being a thought leader, bringing your company to profitability, or another number. Whatever the case, you want to be leading the charge and heading toward upward mobility, if you’re not already swimming upstream.

If you’re not so happy with where you are, when you get right down to your gut, Whittaker-Walker stresses the importance of making moves sooner than later. If you don’t love what you're doing, it’s time to assess, pivot, and reposition yourself ASAP.

Age 45: You’re an Expert

Since you’ve been burning that midnight oil and making strides for two decades now, Whittaker-Walker says you’re likely to be considered an expert in your field at this stage.

Thanks to a diverse and vast professional network, others within your industry will likely start coming to you for advice, take your wisdom to heart, and implement your thoughts into practice. At this stage, Whittaker-Walker explains your professional circle of trust is tested and intimate, and you should have (and give) support to your network.

In terms of salary expectations, you should be inching toward doubling — or even tripling — your entry-level figure.

Though you could be in the thick of raising a family and perhaps, starting your own company, Dermer says the 40s are marked by running. “Running a team. Running a business. Even if you are an individual player, you should be running yourself like you are running a company. Setting goals, building plans, and meeting those plans. You are at the achievement stage and you should be achieving on several levels,” he explains.

Age 55: You’ve Reached a Pinnacle

Though Dermer points out that title is not important, if you want a LinkedIn description to aim for, consider “Senior Vice President” or “Executive Vice President” in addition to board member.

“At 55, you should be leveraging your financial achievement, network, and expertise to realize even greater financial success but also to guide others. It’s about being at a level of achievement that comes with the wisdom formed from the exploration of our 20s, the responsibility of our 30s, the achievement of our 40s, and the lifelong experience and perspectives you have gained,” he explains.

Because you’ve reached this pinnacle in your career, Whittaker-Walker says it’s likely you’ll be asked to sit on the board — or multiple boards — of companies you care about. You might even chair one of them.

At this senior level, you should also begin to look at your mentees as potential successors. “You have mentored effectively over the years and now you should begin to prepare thoughtful succession plans,” she continues. “You’ll want to ensure that the work you’ve done will be smoothly and equitably transitioned to outstanding talent, if and when you decide to retire or do something different.”

Now that you’re inching toward retirement, Whittaker-Walker also notes you’re probably a master at executing work-life balance and you’ve earned the ability to say “no.”

Age 65: Retirement’s Calling

By 65, you should aim to be able to live comfortably on your savings and earn an income on your own terms as you please, says Whittaker-Walker.

You’re an executive, a trusted mentor, a sponsor, and an advocate. You might be retired or planning to retire in the near future, but you should still aim to contribute to your field in some way. “Your expertise is valuable. You are likely recognized for your contributions. When you’re not consulting, mentoring, or volunteering, you should try taking a class, workshop, or spending time with the people who’ve loved you the best,” she adds.

Just remember: Though these are effective benchmarks to measure your performance against, everyone’s career is unique to their skill set, industry, and talent. If you’re ever in doubt of where you should turn next or how well you’re pacing, seek the expertise of a trusted mentor or an experienced coach to guide you.